Stanton Harcourt CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Stanton Harcourt CofE Primary School Main Road, Stanton Harcourt, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 5RJ

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Outcome

Stanton Harcourt CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Faye Tingley. This school is part of the Eynsham Partnership Academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), David Brown, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Julian Soanes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this vibrant and respectful environment. Staff’s high expectations for behaviour create a calm and orderly atmosphere. Pupils not only get along well but also embrace learning with enthusiasm. Pupils’ positive attitudes stem from the school’s vision, ‘Living, Learning, and Growing Together’, which nurtures a strong sense of belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are built on mutual respect and support. Pupils feel valued and know their voices are heard. This makes incidents of poor behaviour rare. The four school rules create a positive and focused learning environment, keeping disruptions to a minimum. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement, which are consistently realised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil leadership roles empower pupils to take initiative and contribute to the school and wider community. For example, the ‘safeguarding squad’ ensures a safe environment, while the school council helps to organise events. The school’s wide range of extra- curricular activities allow pupils to participate in performances, trips and clubs, exploring their interests and developing new skills. This holistic approach prepares them well for life beyond this school. 4 March 2025

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s curriculum is well designed, which means pupils successfully build their knowledge over time. The school makes sure that pupils who are disadvantaged achieve well. This is particularly evident for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a top priority. In the early years, children, including two-year-olds, develop a love of reading and language by listening to familiar stories. Key texts, chosen to link to the curriculum, help pupils to expand their vocabulary. For example, children in the Nursery proudly recreate a farm from stories they have listened to. Pupils in Year 6 actively take part in discussions about characters’ motives within their whole-class reading texts. The school’s phonics approach, delivered by well-trained staff, means that pupils learn to read well. For pupils who struggle with reading, effective targeted support helps them to catch up. As a result, nearly all pupils become fluent, confident readers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In mathematics, pupils apply their knowledge well. They benefit from teachers’ expertise and well-designed lessons. In the early years, children learn about numbers through activities, such as finding matching numbers and spotting patterns. This knowledge helps them to tackle more complex number problems as they progress through the school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Effective support from the school, and from the trust, means teachers are trained well. Teachers’ strong subject knowledge and clear presentation within lessons helps pupils to explain their ideas and remember what they learn. Support for pupils with SEND is a key part of the school’s approach, with needs identified quickly. Effective adjustments are made to ensure that they can learn alongside their peers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding regularly, addressing any learning gaps before moving on. The school checks what pupils learn effectively over time in mathematics and English. This helps to guide curriculum design and identify pupils’ next steps. However, more work is needed to understand gaps in pupils’ knowledge in other subjects. While initial efforts have begun, the impact is not fully known.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s values and ethos help pupils to understand and appreciate diversity. Pupils respect and welcome everyone, regardless of background. This inclusive approach ensures that everyone fits in and feels valued. As a result, pupils’ behaviour and relationships flourish. Pupils confidently discuss different religions, fostering a deeper understanding and respect for various beliefs. This open-mindedness extends to their interactions, promoting harmony and reducing conflicts.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils learn about healthy relationships, online safety and physical health. Pupils gain confidence in these areas, boosting their well-being. This approach prepares them for modern life and helps them build positive, respectful relationships. The school’s commitment to these values creates a supportive community where pupils thrive.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and their attendance is celebrated. The school’s efforts to improve attendance have been successful. The school provides personalised support to 4 March 2025

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help to address any issues. For example, the school works with parents and carers to understand the impact of missed school days. As a result, there has been a noticeable improvement in pupils’ attendance.

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Staff feel valued and supported. The supportive environment and strong team ethos contribute to staff’s well-being. Parents commend the school’s nurturing atmosphere and the dedication of staff. As part of a trust, leaders ensure that their statutory responsibilities are carried out effectively. For example, the school regularly reviews safeguarding procedures through first-hand visits to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not fully implemented its plans to assess pupils’ knowledge in all wider curriculum subjects. This means that it is not able to systematically identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and where the curriculum needs further development. The school should continue to develop and implement an assessment plan to accurately identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses across the curriculum and to inform curriculum design.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 4 March 2025

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 4 March 2025

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School details

Website www.stantonharcourtschool.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a religious character. Its most recent section 48 statutory inspection of Anglican and Methodist schools took place in June 2018. The school’s next section 48 inspection will take place within eight school years from that date.  This school has a breakfast club and after-school club run by the school.  The school has a Nursery and caters for two-year-olds.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 4 March 2025

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 The inspection team met with the headteacher, as well as with other leaders and staff. The lead inspector met with the CEO, trustees and governors. She also held a telephone conversation with a representative from the diocese.  The inspection team visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interest first.  The inspection team considered the views of parents through their responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors spoke to staff and pupils during the inspection and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Clare Haines, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kimberley Kemp Ofsted Inspector 4 March 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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